Puppet Funeral
by fiesa
Summary: He never loved her like she wants him to and he never will. Still, she buries everything she is. Six-chaptered fic.
1. Act 1 Exposition

**Puppet Funeral**

_Summary: He never loved her like she wants him to and he never will. Still, she buries everything she is. Six-chaptered fic._

_Warning: HURT. Totally blame this on Snowlia and her amazing story "Can't touch this". I love Rese/Cass, but after reading her story, I couldn't help but wonder what might happen if… Oh, let's just get the warning straight: Crack right ahead, though minor compared to the amount of hurt.  
_

_Set: Story-unrelated_

_Disclaimer: Standards apply. _

_Snowlia betaed this, too. Since she was the one who had to fight through my run-on sentences, horrid German punctuation, weird translations and every other thing imaginable, the story is somewhat dedicated to her.

* * *

__  
_**Act I – Exposition**

_Exposition, English: exposition. The exposition sets the background for a story. Protagonists, basic conflict and settings are introduced._

_

* * *

_

"What did you tell her?"

Terrance's eyes bore into Cassidy's like two burning coals. He was almost as tall as Cassidy but when he was angry he seemed to tower over him no matter their insignificant difference in height. Normally, his penetrating gaze would have had Cassidy shifting uncomfortably. But not today. Terrance was angry with him because Cassidy had talked to Teresa?

_Teresa_ had wanted him to tell her the truth.

"It's none of your business," the redhead answered curtly and turned away. Terrance didn't follow him as he walked from the room. He could feel his eyes in his back as he watched him leave but he didn't follow him. Terrance had known her even longer than Cassidy had and always had been protective of her. On good days, Cassidy admitted it was good someone was watching over her. On days like this, he would have liked to use his authority to order Terrance to stay out of things which obviously weren't his business. Or to kick him. Hard.

Entering the great hall, the heat and noise of hundred of Hunters washed over him mercilessly. He pushed past three students around his age and greeted them with a short nod, then almost ran into a lady with a strict face and long, silver hair which she had pulled back into a long braid.

"Careful, young Hunter! You're one of Daemon's, aren't you?"

Not in the mood for small-talk – not in the mood for _talk_ at all – he pulled together his last remnants of politeness.

"Yes."

"How has it been so far?"

"Pretty good. For all of us."

"Not that surprising, huh. Your Clave made it into the finale, hasn't it? What's her name again?"

_Ah. Here we go._

"Teresa. Yeah, she won the semi-finals."

"She's good, even though a bit impatient. Good luck to her!"

A short grin and she disappeared. Cass clenched his teeth and continued his way towards his non-existent destination. How on earth had this happened? He had no idea. Anger burned up again inside him, anger – and then guilt. And anger, again, because there was nothing he should feel guilty about and yet – it was his fault, only and entirely his fault. He was the one who was… With an enormous amount of willpower he forced his mind away from this thread of thought and tried to focus on his surroundings. He _had_ a destination, he realized. His feet had carried him directly to the place he needed to be.

* * *

The platform wasn't high, maybe twenty centimeters above the ground. The cold, grey stone was the same as the floor of the hall Cassidy was standing on. A low barrier, held by four posts and consisting of a thick rope, divided the arena from the hall in which it was situated. It was one of many similar rings in this hall, but it was undoubtedly the largest one. Here, the finale of this year's Scoring took place.

The hall was huge.

And it was full of Hunters – small and tall, younger and older, though not _old_, men and women alike, teachers and students, Council Elders, Clave leaders, partners and loners. Everyone was talking, discussing results, styles and fights, cheering on the last participants and calling out for friends and acquaintances. The noise was slowly grating its way into Cass's skull. His left arm hurt. The trials had already taken place and he, like his Clave siblings, had fought four matches. No surprise was in the fact that they had all won their fights – they were Daemon's students, after all. Like every other Clave they had nominated a representative for the finals. This year they had selected Teresa. She was a good choice: energetic, strong and incredibly arduous. But she was hotheaded and impulsive too. They had hoped she'd be careful on her own notice and she had been throughout the semi-finals. Except for one time, when she hadn't kept her guard and had taken a serious blow to the ribs. She had fought well and taken them directly into the finale. But now, he wasn't so sure she'd stay calm and collected anymore… Not after what had happened a few moments ago.

"Mikhail of Gregori's Clave wins and will be participating for place three!"

The voice of the referee cut through the loud rumbling of voices as the last trial fight came to an end after a remarkably long time. Normally, Hunter fights didn't last more than five minutes. They were gifted with speed, strength and intelligence alike. The ones that didn't make it through the trials were almost sure to die on a mission or routine patrol early. The ones that made it into the finals, selected from the ones who had won their preliminary matches and had been chosen by their Clave, were sure to earn attention and glory. In other words, the Scoring was a huge selection event in which good Hunters were picked and weak ones cast aside. Cassidy hated them with every fiber of his being. Unfortunately, as a Hunter, he had no choice but to participate.

Turning on the spot, he cast a look over the people around him but wasn't able to see much. He was standing next to the arena, so close to the rope barrier he could have touched whoever stood on the other side of it. The arena was empty but soon two Hunters would face each other in the ring, ready to fight and determined to win. There was no place for compassion in the Scorings, no room for soft-heartedness and kindness. Scoring fights were swift and brutal, hard and merciless. It was the way Hunters had to be in order to survive. Illusions were obsolete in their society. Although he had had illusions, too… For a while, he had _thought _it would work out. For precious months he had believed everything was okay. But it wasn't. And the feeling which had replaced the shattered illusions left him cold and hollow. Clenching his fists, he searched for the figure in the crowd he dreaded seeing – and wanted to see, at the same time. Instead of dark hair and a lean figure, he saw a stout man with white, short hair approach the arena and climb the ring. As the audience caught on what was happening, the sounds in the great hall fell quiet until the huge room was filled with heavy silence.

The referee lifted his right hand.

* * *

Detachedly, Teresa watched the Hunter climb the three stairs to the arena in which she would stand in a few minutes. His grey hair almost seemed white. He wasn't old but experience and wariness had deeply carved themselves into his features. His eyes were still wide and alert and his movements spoke of swiftness and strength. The aura of a Hunter surrounded him like a veil. Lifting his hand, he began to speak.

"Welcome to the finale of the annually Scorings. All of you have now proven yourself in the trials and semi-finals and have won and lost. Those who have won have every right to be proud. But remember that pride doesn't shield you in a fight. Continue training; continue fighting so you will be able to protect those who need our protection. Don't give in to conceit. And you, who have lost, don't despair. Train, learn, hunt, so you become better Hunters and might return next year."

Normally, she would have snorted.

In a fight, there only was a winner and a loser. There was no way _everybody_ could win in the Scoring, which meant even defeated could be able Hunters. But the winners were the _better_ Hunters, and nothing could change the fact. But today, her thoughts were elsewhere. She could still hear his words – see his face – as he told her the words they had both known had to be said. And it still had hurt to hear them, even though she had seen them coming. She just hadn't wanted to believe in them. They couldn't be true, couldn't be reality, it just _couldn't be!_ The Hunter's society was small and one of the greatest worries of the Council was their survival. Hunters had the same duty to keep their society alive as they had to protect mankind. Thus, the most valuable asset in their lives was their children. For this reason, bonds between hunting partners were most common. Even Clave siblings had been known to bond. The length or depth of a relationship wasn't really important, she had learned, but rather the outcome. It was unusual for partners to form a bond because there really was something like… She hesitated to use the word _love_. It made everything so much more complicated. And she could see why, too. If there was no love, one could form a relationship for the sole purpose of the survival of their race. There would be no obligation, no commitment or trouble. Friendship or simple respect was enough. Hunters cared for all children together, so the concept of mother and father were obsolete. But as soon as something like _feelings_ came into the game, trouble was programmed. And here she was, Teresa of Daemon's Clave, in the very same trouble she always had avoided before. Because she had fa–

She tasted blood in her mouth as she bit on the inside of her cheek. She shouldn't think like that, shouldn't even think of it _at all._ She had known and yet she had refused to see. She had closed her eyes. And then she had forced him to _say _it, had forced Cass to utter the words that changed everything, and this was what she deserved.

The referee's voice was curt and clear.

"We will now begin the finale. The winners of the semi-finals – please step forward."

_Your call._

Rese stepped forward and the crowd shifted to let her pass. She didn't see anyone, the people blurred together in a mixture of colors, smells and sounds. The audience was a crowd of faceless figures, creating a thundering noise without any meaning, lips moving without forming words. Her blood was a continuous, rushing noise in her ears that drowned out everything else. Her pulse was steady, though. She was too numb to feel anything besides her own cold body moving towards the arena.

She climbed the three stairs and found herself in the ring, the faceless crowd staring up at her. On the other side, her opponent came into view: a tall, lanky man with short hair in a pale, almost white gold tone. She saw colorless, washed-out grey eyes and something that might be an enigmatic grin. Taking in everything about him in automatically she still felt like she was somewhere else. Like she wasn't here.

_This wasn't real._

"Teresa of Daemon's Clave will fight Tobias of Frederik's Clave. The winner is the one who stands last when the opponent has been knocked out or doesn't get up after thirty seconds. Merely physical attacks are allowed. The use of Umbra Spiritus or other gifts and abilities as well as all kinds of weapons are prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification. Leaving the ring will result in disqualification. The final fight has no time limit. You will start on my notice."

Her opponent almost looked sorry.

Rese forced herself to direct her attention on him: he looked quick and agile and probably had enormous strength hidden behind his rather lanky stature, otherwise he would never have made it into the finale. His grey eyes were already taking her in carefully, accessing her strength, advantages and disadvantages. He looked like someone who would smile kindly and kill in the next second, without regrets, without mercy. And yet – maybe he did feel sorry afterwards. Maybe he did feel like crying after a kill, maybe he did feel like trashing his bedroom because this world was a cruel and hateful one. And maybe…

Maybe she was imagining things.

She tried to clear her head. She was in the finale – she had to concentrate, had to win. But why? What did it matter? What else was she good for than for fighting and killing? She couldn't even make one person love her.

Why didn't winning matter to her anymore?

Involuntarily, her eyes started wandering across the crowd of faceless people, slowly at first, then faster, more desperately. Her fists were balled at her sides but she didn't notice. She didn't hear the referee ask her opponent whether he was ready nor did she hear his voice when he asked her. Her brain though, on autopilot, made her head nod once and curtly. And still, her eyes were searching. One face gave way to the next but the one she wanted to see wasn't there – and then, her gaze fell on Ten and Nadya.

The girls were standing at the far side of the hall, on a low balcony for the audience. They had a good view of the entire hall and their eyes were fixed on her directly. Her Hunter's eyes made them out in the middle of the crowd and held their gaze for a few seconds. She hadn't been searching for them. But Nadya smiled at her encouragingly, and Ten – Ten glanced at her with an expression that could only be called pity.

* * *

On the balcony that ran around the hall once, Ten leaned against the railing and sighed. Nadya threw her a questioning look.

"Why do I have the feeling Rese doesn't really want to fight anymore?"

"Because she doesn't," Ten answered unhappily.

"It hasn't anything to do with the fact that I saw her and Cass a little time before, by any chance? Saying they didn't look happy might be an understatement. Did they break up a second time? I thought Cass was already seeing _someone_ else."

Ten closed her eyes.

"Does _everybody _know?"

Nadya shrugged.

"I've suspected as much for a while, but I was pretty sure when Cass came back late last week."

"Yeah, he practically _reeked."_

"It _is_ his business."

"It's not…"

"_Normal_? Tell me, when did the concepts of normalcy last apply to us?"

"He's a Hunter! He can't…He can't…"

"Say it. Come on, I dare you."

"He can't _date a vampire!"_

"Yeah, well. Are you upset because he's dating a vampire or because he's dating a _male_ vampire?"

* * *

"_Begin."_

In her life Rese had learned many things. Most of them applied to everyday life as well as to combat situations.

_Nobody expects a woman to attack immediately._

In Hunter society, men and women were treated alike. Which meant no man would hold back in a fight just because she was a woman. For the same reason, she was at slight disadvantage: she didn't have the mass and weight a male Hunter could use to nail down opponents. She didn't have their raw strength either, so she had to use different strategies to win. As much as her people believed women and men to be equal, she knew there were few Hunters who expected her to attack directly. She just had to use the element of surprise and she usually had a good chance of winning. _But…_

She launched herself into a backwards salto, landing on her feet a few meters away from her former position and immediately dropping into a crouch. Balancing her weight on her hands and her left foot, she swung around her right leg in a roundhouse kick and almost managed to sweep her opponent's feet from underneath him. The man, who had already been in motion when she first reacted, used a simple parade to block her kick and darted after her with incredible speed.

Yeah, right, she had used her strategy twice today already and it seemed he had informed himself on her favorite moves. He had used her hesitation, had attacked first and had almost landed a blow to her abdomen. If she hadn't moved so quickly he would have thrown her across the ring.

But he didn't let her catch her breath. When she catapulted herself up from the ground he was waiting for her, combining a kick and a direct punch to her face. Lifting her arms in a defensive gesture she blocked both and moved out of his direct reach. Her opponent's face was a mask of concentration, his brows furrowed, his lips pressed into a tight line. He obviously wanted to win and he didn't care how much or how little resistance she was planning on giving him. He would simply make sure his victory was total. His colorless eyes were cold and a scar began at the base of his temples and ran up into his hair. _Strange._ Why did she notice things like this now? Normally, she couldn't even remember what her opponents had looked like _after_ she had fought them, much less while she was still fighting. She blocked the next punch and tried a three-punch-combination. She was blocked and, again, fell back.

She didn't care.

* * *

_A/N: So this is the extra portion of hurt I promised before!^^ A bit late but better late than never. That was the good news. The bad news are that I'll be gone from the face of the earth internet-wise for one month to come and probably won't be able to update this until April... At least chapter 1 doesn't end with a huge cliffhangar so it should be passable. I apologize beforehand! So... What do you think?_


	2. Act 2 Steigende Handlung

_A/N: I know, I know!  
*ducks flying objects*  
Please don't kill me. I love Rese/Cass, so after this I'll go back to my favourite pairing! As a counterweight, I'll post the next OneShot in "Kissing the Rain". It'll feature an entirely straight Cassidy! *laughs*_

_I hope you do enjoy this, anyway!_

_

* * *

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**Act II – Steigende Handlung**

_Steigende Handlung, English: Rising Action. __The basic internal conflict is complicated by further obstacles._

_-v-_

The hall was full of noise, even now, as the finale was being held.

Hunters were chatting, talking and shouting and placing bets. The Scoring was a great event that attracted Hunters from all around the world and thus gave a good opportunity to see old friends and get to know new ones. Most participants of the fights were seventeen and older, but few over twenty-five. The rules were few and strict: no weapons, no gifts or abilities, no Umbra Spiritus. Other than that, everything was allowed, and there had been Scorings that had resulted in deaths. But the Blood of Eden was fast and strong and fighting came to them naturally. Watching two trained Hunters in combat was like watching two wild cats fight: they moved quick as lightning, elegantly and with lethal reflexes. Every tiny gesture was important, every single movement crucial. Fighting was what they lived for.

Daemon watched Teresa's fight with his brows furrowed. She was holding her ground, blocking punches and avoiding kicks, but she fell back constantly. Soon, she would be standing with the back to the wall – metaphorically speaking, since the "wall" was the simple barrier between the audience and the arena. She seemed to be concentrating but at the same time it seemed as if she didn't care what happened.

_Strange._

Teresa had always shown endless energy and stamina as well as an unbreakable resolve to win. She was a sore loser, always had been. But now she seemed as if she didn't care that she was only inches away from her childhood dream of winning the Scoring. She fought, but she blocked more than she attacked. And that was the strangest thing in itself.

"She's not into it," a voice said and Anathea stepped next to him. Daemon didn't need to turn around in order to recognize her. Her movements and her voice were too familiar for him not to do so. "I thought you said she was one of your best students?"

"She is," he answered curtly. "She always wants to win."

"Today she doesn't care, obviously," Anathea answered and examined him from the side. She could see his worry in the way he furrowed his brows, in the way his black eyes watched every movement of his student. "Has anything happened?"

Daemon didn't answer, which was answer in itself. So he didn't know, couldn't find a reason for why his student was suddenly behaving like victory didn't matter – after spectacularly beating three opponents in the semi-finals. Anathea had seen Teresa fight and she hadn't found many things to criticize in the girl's fighting style. She was quick, intelligent, lethal and determined and thus had every asset a good Hunter needed.

So what _the hell _had _happened_?

-v-

As Cassidy watched Rese's performance, unable to turn his eyes away, their last encounter replayed in his head.

-v-

"Winner and second finalist: Teresa of Daemon's Clave!"

The words of the referee didn't carry far in the crowded arena but the people clustered around the little ring heard them and applauded. While two of her opponents' Clave siblings ran up the stairs to check on her, Rese descended the stairs quickly and took the water bottle someone offered her. Cass was waiting.

"Well done."

"Thanks," She said and for once the hostility he had heard in her voice for the last couple of weeks wasn't there. Since they had broken up three weeks ago, she had barely looked at him and even though it hurt, Cass knew her well enough not to force her to talk to him. Hell, he had known her since they were children and he could see her refusal to talk to him, to even look at him, was her way of protecting herself. Guilt shot through him, hot and raw. He hadn't known she felt _that _much for him until they _really _had broken up.

"Just take care not to open your guard like this in the finale," he answered and awkwardly pushed his hands into his pockets. It was hard, finding the same tone they once had used. "If you hadn't reacted quickly enough, she would have had you. You promised you'd be careful, so…"

Rese whirled around to glare at him, hostility in her eyes again. "I know what I said."

Translation: _And unlike you, I keep my promises._ Cass flinched. Rese stared at him for another second while tension stiffened her shoulders. But anger left her face again and was replaced by something he didn't _want_ to define, something he had only once seen on her face before and had tried to forget. She turned away and strode back towards the great doors.

Cass considered staying there. For a few seconds, he really did.

Then, he followed her outside.

"Teresa."

Her name was even more familiar on his tongue than his own. She didn't look back.

"Rese."

Speeding up, he followed her down the corridor and caught up with her. She stopped abruptly, sparing him the gesture of grabbing for her arm. If he had, she probably would have punched him.

"Yes?"

Her tone was cold. Her eyes were burning. He could read her expression – he knew her so well he could see her hurt, her anger and her disappointment clearly in the way she stood there. She held her head high and her shoulders were stiff and unyielding.

"Don't you think this is childish, Rese? You broke up with me and now you treat me like I was the one who ended our relationship. Please, can't we behave like the grown Hunters we are?"

She snorted. "Yes, I broke up with you but you know _why_ even better than I do! So don't try to push all the blame on me, Cassidy. You could have talked to me. You could have _told_ me. Instead, you go on meeting that…"

She hesitated, feeling hate, jealousy and anger rising like acid in her throat and yet knowing she wouldn't ever be able to talk badly about a person he so obviously loved so much.

"_Guy_," she finished almost inaudibly. He averted his eyes and she knew he felt the same regret she felt – but his regret was different than hers. He felt guilty because he didn't love her the way she wanted him to. She could read his features like she could read a book. Even more: She _knew_ him. He had been her best friend ever since she could remember. They had been training partners since they turned twelve, joint leaders since she had turned sixteen and together for almost two years. And during all this time, he hadn't told her he was gay. Instead, he had let her fall in love with him so hard it hurt physically. She couldn't imagine her future anymore – not a life without him, not a day, nothing. And yet – here she was, life went on, and her heart felt like it was torn apart, trampled on, burned and scattered.

"I wanted to tell you," he finally said, his voice no more than a whisper. "I really did, even before I met Nic. But I _couldn't_."

"You should have," she said. She felt hollow. _He was gone. _He had never loved her, never would.

"I wasn't sure… I mean, I didn't know… I…"

"Who are you kidding? You knew, Cassidy, and I know you. You knew and you didn't tell me!"

Cassidy saw her fists clench and felt anger surging like a hot wave. His field of vision turned red. If this was the conversation they had been avoiding for weeks, it was exactly how he had imagined it would be like.

"And you think I was the only one? Come on, Rese, you knew as well as I did! _You_ decided not to see anything; _you_ didn't want to believe! I tried to tell you but you never listened! I think everyone will agree you're as much at fault as I am!"

"So now it's my fault as well?" She retorted, her voice rising. Cassidy almost felt relieved. Seeing her angry was something he was used to and it was far better than the silent treatment she had given him for the last few weeks. But the fact that she hadn't exploded yet, still was holding back, was what was new. The pain in her eyes was new and horrible and he hated himself for putting it there. But hiding his relationship with Nicholas would only have made her suffer worse.

"Rese. We've been together for two years and you can't make me believe you never noticed _anything_."

He was right and she hated him for it. She _had_ noticed – his hesitancy when it came to touching her, how his kisses never were hungry and possessive but rather soft and caressing. The way his eyes sometimes would follow other guys. His hands, his lips, his entire body – he never had belonged to her. She had known how he felt about her for months. But she hadn't wanted to believe.  
Because there was nothing else to say except the obvious and because every word hurt, she turned away. She didn't feel the familiar hot anger that burned in her so often. She felt hollow and empty.

Following her, Cassidy put a hand on her arm to stop her. She shook him off immediately but the touch still burned on her heated skin. His warmth seeped into her, right through skin and flesh into her bones and her very core.

"I'm sorry."

It was hard, saying those words. Cassidy had never had problems apologizing but for once, the words stuck in his throat and burned like fire. He almost whispered them and for a second he thought she hadn't heard him. But then, she tensed.

"It's a bit late for that," she said bitterly. "There's nothing you can say to make things undone, Cassidy."

"You're right."

There was nothing he could say and nothing he could do. For a while, they stood there in silence, not touching, not looking at each other. Then, he directed his gaze back to her.

"I messed up. I knew … I knew what I was, Rese, I've known for quite some time. But I couldn't tell you. I wasn't afraid of Teacher or the Council. I just…"

Shifting, he raked his hand through his hair, searching for words. And for a truth he hadn't dared to admit, not even to himself.

"I couldn't tell _you_, Rese. I… I don't know why. It was just… You always were my best friend and I didn't want to… I thought you might…" He sighted. "It's a mess, isn't it?"

_It's worse_, she wanted to scream.

_It's a nightmare, a betrayal. A prison sentence. You promised me never to leave me and now you're doing it. You told me you loved me when it was all a lie. You say you're sorry and you are, I can see it, but that doesn't change anything, doesn't make time go back. You made me love you, made me need you and now you're gone and I don't know what to do anymore._

She shrugged instead, trying to swallow hurt and pain and betrayal and almost suffocating in the process. But she managed to banish all those emotions from her voice.

"There is a reason why the Council tells us not to fall in love."

Fear surged through Cassidy, made his heart slam against his ribs painfully as he tried to catch her eyes, but she didn't look at him.

"Have you… Rese, I mean…"

"You mean, do I love you?" Her voice was almost casual, as if she was discussing the color of a tee shirt. "Of course I love you. You're my friend, almost my brother. There never was more to our relationship, right?"

She was lying through clenched teeth. _This is worse than I thought. _Until now, he had thought she was angry with him for ending their relationship, for seeing someone else after they had been together for two years. He had thought she hated him for preferring a vampire in her place, maybe even for damaging her pride. But he had been wrong.

_She loved him._

And he didn't love her the way he was supposed to. His heart didn't speed up when he saw her, his breath didn't catch in his throat when she touched him accidentally. The sight of her smiling face didn't make him dizzy with happiness; the tone of her voice didn't send shivers down his spine.

Nic could make him feel like that.

_Nicholas_. This haughty, arrogant, gorgeous vampire without a trace of respect for Hunters and anyone of their mutual treaties, made him feel like he never had felt before. Nicholas, who would tease him until they almost fought and then kiss him in a way that made Cass's entire brain shut down. Nicholas, whose pale skin was almost translucent in the light of the moon. Nicholas, whose words were sharp enough to cut through glass and whose hands could be so gentle he wouldn't stir the dust on a flower's petals if he wanted to pick it. Nicholas, whose eyes made him feel entirely naked and whose arms could hold him like nobody ever had held him before…

No, that wasn't entirely true. Rese had held him like this. But the emotions he had felt hadn't been the same. Rese was his oldest, his closest friend, and he hadn't ever wanted to hurt her. And despite a million good intentions, he had.

_The path to hell is paved with good intentions._

Teresa saw Cassidy's eyes soften.

He was thinking about the vampire, she realized, and rudely pushed down on the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Instead of running from him and locking herself in her room, she stood her ground and took a deep breath.

"Okay, Cassidy, let's get this straight. Tell me, please. Where are we now?"

His eyes didn't leave hers. She had always wondered how he was able to say such personal things without hesitancy, without blushing or averting his eyes.

"I'm going out with Nicholas now. I'm sorry, Rese, but I can't be with you anymore. I don't deserve being with you and you deserve someone better than me, someone who loves you more than I could ever do. You are…" He hesitated for a split second, his eyes questioning, but she didn't move. "You were my best friend and I don't want to lose you. Can we please…God, what a cliché. Can we stay friends, please?"

Rese wanted to scream. She wanted to cry, to shout at him to shut up and, at the same time, wanted to cling to him and to beg him not to leave her.  
But not a word left her lips.  
Her face was a mask, bare of any emotions, as she listened to him saying what she had forced him to say and yet hadn't wanted to hear. His words were coming from somewhere far away, they seemed to move further and further away with every second her hammering heart counted. And then he fell silent, waiting for her. The only thing she heard was her heart, the only thing she saw was his eyes. And then, suddenly, it came.

Pure, raw, horrible fear.


	3. Act 3 Höhepunkt, Peripetie

**Act III – Höhepunkt/Peripetie**

_Höhepunkt/Peripetie, English: Climax. The climax, or turning point, marks a change in the conflict and can turn the tide to the better or the worse._

-v-

Teresa had wondered when it would happen.

She still vividly remembered her childhood and the nightmares she had. She had always feared being alone and for that reason she was incredibly relieved that Hunters formed Claves. She had spent the majority of her childhood and her teenage years with her Clave siblings and someone always had been there: Ten, Terrance, Jay and Jaq, Nadya, Marina or Cassidy. But not even their presence had been able to erase her fear entirely. It wasn't right. She was an adult, a grown Hunter, and she was more than capable of protecting herself and others. Yet she still was afraid of being alone.

_Cass_ could make all of her fears disappear.

He was the only one who could hold her and make her feel protected and loved, who could chase away the memory of a nightmare by just holding her. Cass always had been there, Cass had made her strong, Cass had…

_I can't be with you anymore. You deserve someone who loves you more than I ever could._

She had been stupid. She had made friends with him, not thinking about what would happen if he betrayed her. She had come to depend on him, had learned to trust him and, finally, had learned to love him. She had been a fool. There was a reason why the Council warned its Hunters not to let emotions get too strong in a relationship. But it was too late now.

_Cass was gone._

The feeling was familiar.

It started in her heart, a cold feeling that spread throughout her chest, her arms and legs and into her head. It pushed aside all thoughts of other things; made her forget where she was and what she had to do. Her heart was beating so hard she feared Cass would hear it, and by the expression on his face, he _could_. She backed away one step and tried to find words, desperately forced her brain, her muscles and her voice to cooperate. And the mask was back.

"Of course."

Cass frowned, trying to read her. But for the first time in his life, he couldn't see behind Rese's mask. Her face was bare of all expressions, her voice tight and controlled. Was he supposed to believe her? The part of him that did believe felt relieved. Another part doubted her. He was talking to _Rese._ Rese didn't forgive, didn't forget. But this wasn't Rese, this cold, expressionless person in front of him. It was a person with Rese's eyes, Rese's face and Rese's body. But _Rese _herself seemed to be gone. Suddenly afraid, he made a step towards her.

Rese moved backwards and the gap between them seemed infinite.

Hurt surged through him as he stopped dead. _Give her some time_, he heard Nic's voice. For once, it hadn't been ironic or taunting. For once, the vampire's eyes were clear and serious and his tousled hair was shining like liquid silver in the light of the moon. _You've hurt her badly. She needs some time to get over it, but she will. You've been friends for almost a lifetime. Your bond should be strong enough, shouldn't it?_

That was the question. In that instant, Cass doubted it.

"I need a restroom," Rese said, still the horribly detached tone in her voice. "Excuse me; I have to get ready for the finale…"

And she was gone.

-v-

"What the hell are you doing!" Jay yelled and shook his head so hard Marina thought he would suffer a concussion, if she hadn't known how famous the Hunter was for his stone-head. She, Jay and Jaq were watching the finale from the mass of Hunters who had clustered around the arena. Jay and Jaq were shielding Marina; were unconsciously creating an open space so the petite seer could watch the match without being jostled. Every member of her Clave acted similarly. Marina still noticed, even when everyone else seemed to do it unconsciously. She was the little sister, the hatchling who had to be protected, and she didn't mind. Marina loved her Clave siblings.

"You're not concentrating! Come on, Rese! Come on – WATCH OUT!"

He wasn't the only one. Several people cried out in varying degrees of emotion – from distress to elation. Quickly, Marina turned her gaze from her two Clave brothers to the arena in which Rese was fighting. She barely turned fast enough to see how her friend was lifted off her feet by a punch so fast probably only few had seen it coming. It hit her stomach directly and threw her backwards. Slumping to the floor unceremoniously, Rese gasped as the air was driven from her lungs brutally, but it stayed inaudible over the noise of the crowd. Marina clapped her hands in front of her mouth.

"Oh God! What happened? Is she alright?"

Jaq's gaze was fixed on their friend without blinking. His brow was wrinkled in worry, but he didn't say a word. Jay answered, although his eyes were fixed on the fight in front of them as well.

"She waited too long. He tricked her and she fell for it like a stupid, dumb _youngling_ – what's _wrong_ with her?"

"She waited too long?" Marina echoed. Years of shared time with her Hunter family obviously hadn't been enough to teach her fighting slang.

"She's too defensive," Jaq explained quietly. "She doesn't attack, waits for her opponent to come at her and her guard isn't good enough for that. It's not like her."

"Something's wrong with her," Jay agreed, his brows furrowed in concentration. "Hey, Mar – did anything happen?"

"Wha – why do you ask me? I don't know anything! Why should anything be wrong?"

"You don't know anything?" Jay asked, his eyes now leaving the arena and coming to lie on her with irritating intensity. "Why do you sound like you feel guilty, Marina?"

Jaq was now watching her, too. Under the penetrating gaze of the two brothers, the young woman tried to hold her ground but faltered audibly.

"I mean, if something was wrong and you didn't know what, that would mean it was Rese's business and if she hasn't told you anything she probably wants it to be a secret and…"

"Come on, spit it out! What the hell is wrong with her? She was fine when she fought those guys in the semi-finals! We selected her because we knew she could win the Scoring and now she's behaving like it doesn't matter at all! We're her Clave, her _family_, for God's sake! We have every right to know what is going on!"

"We don't," Jaq softly interrupted his brother, surprising both Jay and Marina. His eyes were fixed on the arena again. "If she doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to."

Closing his mouth with an audible sound, Jay mumbled something into his shirt and then threw Mar a dirty look as he caught her looking relieved. "I bet it has something to do with Cass," he murmured softly. "He was looking strange when he passed us a while ago. Since they broke up they've both become quite useless."

"No they haven't!" Mar protested. Jay shrugged.

"Yes they have. Look at her. She doesn't want to win, she won't win."

-v-

Along with the entire crowd in the hall, Cass flinched when Teresa crashed to the floor.

By now his hands were clenched so hard his fingernails dug into his palms deeply. He watched, helpless, because it was the only thing he could do. He needed every ounce of his self-restraint not to storm into the arena and to beat up the guy who was methodically grating Rese down. Because that was this he was doing. He was teasing her, testing her and playing with her, trying to find the chink in her armor, the weakness in her defense.

Cassidy knew his best friend.

Rese was a good fighter. They had sparred so often he knew her favorite movements, her weak spots and her strengths. He knew she hated losing and he knew she never would have fought him like this: shy, almost weak by Hunter's terms, too careful and expecting. She never would have fought _anyone_ like this. But there was something in her eyes that made him want to curse in a language so colorful Ten probably would have blushed.

It was his fault. He had made her sad; he made her hurt and suffer.

She was _afraid._

He couldn't tell how he knew – he just _knew_. She was too careful, too guarded to attack. And if she did try an aggressive combination she failed because there wasn't enough determination in her attacks. _Shit_. She didn't want to fight, he could see it in every movement of her arms and legs, in every tired toss of her head and every pleading glance she threw at nobody special but which still was clearly there in her eyes. Another wave of guilt hit him so hard he momentarily forgot to breathe. This time, the guilt was laced with desperation.

_Why?_

Why was it like this, why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't they just be happy, live a normal life, fight, hunt, hang out and, one day, die? Where was heavenly justice in times like this? They were Hunters. They had pledged themselves to the protection of mankind. They slept at daytime and hunted at night, formed partnerships for convenience and for the sake of their own survival. They cast aside feelings like love and lived for the hunt only – where was the sense, the deeper meaning? It wasn't fair. And it especially wasn't fair for people like Rese.

Cassidy wasn't alone.

He always had had his real parents, until he had joined Daemon's Clave, and then, his siblings had been enough for him. Their family – he and Rese as joint leaders, Jay, Jaq, Terrance, Nadya and Ten as their siblings and Marina as their baby and little sister – had always been enough for him. For Rese, it was different. She was part of their family, as well, but her constant fear of being alone never had left her. As a child, she had refused to talk to him when they first met. Only after weeks of training and shared meals she started to look at him, talk to him and, finally, confide in him. Cassidy once had asked Terrance why she had only talked to Terrance and not to him. The dark-skinned Hunter had told him it was because Rese wasn't sure he would stay.

And now, he still had his Clave. And Nic. And Rese had…

_Rese was in trouble._

The sound of a kick meeting flesh resounded in his ears. Strange, the noise in the hall should have prevented him from hearing any sound even though he stood so close to the barrier which separated arena and audience. Nevertheless, Cassidy flinched at the sound of a bone breaking. Again, Rese flew backward, after just having forced herself to her feet again.

"Get up!" A girl next to him was screaming angrily. "Get up! You didn't beat David to lose to that idiot now!"

The entire crowd was in motion, shouting either sarcastic comments and insults or encouragement in the direction of the combatants. The pale-eyed man stepped back, his hands still crossed in a protective gesture in front of his body, as the referee looked down on Cassidy's Clave sister without pity.

"Do you forfeit?"

Gasping and spitting out some blood, Teresa clambered to her feet again, awkwardly clutching her left elbow. It seemed to be broken and from the mask of pain on her face Cassidy could see it was bad.

"Forfeit!" Screamed the audience. "Fight!" Others, and even the occasional "Go down like a Hunter!" could be heard. Cassidy's blood was rushing through his veins so fast he trembled. The girl next to him noticed it.

"She your friend?" She asked with a gesture of her head. Cassidy nodded, not trusting his voice. "She'd better get her ass up again, because she'll lose at this rate," the girl commented. Her dark hair was pulled back in two ponytails, held by violet ribbons. She seemed young – and yet, the unmistakable look of a person who has seen too much for her age was in her eyes.

_Just like Rese._

Blind to his surroundings once again, Cassidy turned back to watch the arena.

They were puppets in a game, nothing more. Marionettes, desperately trying to untangle themselves from the threads that were holding them and which were tangled so badly there was no way of ever getting them straight again.

-v-

How long had she been fighting? Rese didn't know.

And she didn't care. She didn't want to fight, didn't want to win – why was she here? For what should she win? Her head was empty and her entire body hurt from the impact of the hits she had taken. Her left arm was broken – she could feel bones grating against each other in places they weren't supposed to meet. The pain came in red flashes, blinding her every time they pierced her skull. Blinking, she searched for her opponent and stumbled to her feet again, her left arm hanging useless at her side, her right hand lifted.

She didn't want to fight anymore.

It was no good. It was useless. If people left her anyhow, where was the sense in fighting? If there was no one else she could fight for, why should she do it? The rushing of her blood had fallen quiet, but she still was unable to hear the noise of the crowd. There was just the slow, steady beating of her heart, the flashing waves of pain and the face of her opponent. There was no way of knowing how long their fight had been going, but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. Time stretched, became insignificant. Rese refused to fight, but every time her opponent knocked her down, she stumbled back to her feet again. She furrowed her brow. It was a mere reflex, she realized. She might have given up, but her body refused to go down without a fight. Her body refused to give up, no matter how hard she was injured, no matter how little she wanted to fight.

Her opponent was mostly uninjured, dancing around her, waiting for her to react in any way. Not that she had many ways open to her, without her left arm and without any will to fight. Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds after the fight had begun Rese was knocked down a third time, this time by another fist aimed directly at her face. She managed to sway to the side but still took the major impact of the blow. Her reaction was the only thing that saved her from flying out of the arena. Still, she slid almost until the barrier and stayed on the ground, panting and whimpering in pain inaudibly. Was there a reason to get up?

_No._

"Get up."

Her head shot up.

Cassidy was standing right next to her, his green eyes burning into hers directly. Another wave of pain, this time not from her flayed body but from deeper within.

"_Rese. Get up._"

His conjuring words carried so much more than the obvious demand to pull herself together and _win._

Something inside her reacted.

It pulled her up from the ground as if she was hanging from threads. Catapulting herself to her feet, Rese launched herself into a desperate attack using her right fist, elbow, both her knees and feet and, for the first time, forcing her opponent into a defensive position. The gasp of surprise from the audience was lost to her as well as the feral growl that emanated from her throat. Her lips were pulled back, her eyes two slits in her face. Overcoming his surprise and gathering his wits, her opponent blocked her fist and tried to retaliate but she was prepared. She dove under his first kick and jabbed at his knee. He swayed, fighting for balance, and her next move caught him unprepared. Her feet swept his from underneath his body and he crashed to the ground, caught himself and blocked her immediate counter. Rolling over, he came to his feet and she was waiting for him, her fist solidly connecting with his jaw. His block came too late, though his fist grazed her injured arm. Sharply sucking in air, she jumped backwards, holding her arm. He tried a punch-kick-combination, the same he had used at the beginning. But now she could see his intentions, was able to see every move before he had finished. His next kick went into empty space as she spun out of his reach. And suddenly, too fast even for trained Hunters' eyes, she was inside his space, knocking him out cold. Her opponent crashed to the floor and she didn't waste time. Throwing herself onto his chest, she put all her weight on him so he was unable to move. Her hand roughly grabbed his hair.

"Your neck is only a twist away from breaking," she whispered. "Forfeit."

Her opponent struggled, trying to jab at her injured arm. She increased the pressure of her weight on him, pulled at his hair roughly and placed her left foot on his right arm.

"_Forfeit."_

Her weight on his chest made his voice a hoarse whisper, but it still was louder than her voice. Everybody heard it.


	4. Act 4 Retardierendes Moment

___Why didn't anyone tell me I hadn't finished posting this story yet? Aw, I apologize, though I doubt anyone reads this… Well, anyway, here we go. _

**Act IV – Retardierendes Moment**

_Retardierendes Moment, English: Falling Action. As the plot moves towards the ending, the appearance of new characters or obstacles slows down the story once more._

-v-

"I forfeit. You win."

Teresa didn't move. Terrance knew she was waiting for something – and then it came. The voice of the referee rung through the hall:

"Tobias of Frederik's Clave forfeits. Teresa of Daemon's Clave wins the finale and thereby is the winner of this year's Scoring."

His calm voice was an odd antagonism to the hell that broke loose at his announcement. Half the hall was screaming in delight, half shouting in anger. On the balconies, teachers and teammates were applauding. Behind the glass of the window on the far side, Terrance could see the Council Elders leaving their places. They had seen enough, their duty was done. He snorted in contempt. Those people went around, calling themselves Elders, and hadn't even seen the beauty and the madness of a hunt. They never had known what it was like to kill or be killed. But today, his thoughts didn't stray far because there was something much more important to think about right now.

Shouldering his way towards the arena, he arrived just in time to see Teresa walk down the stairs, her head held high. Her right hand clutched her broken left arm, but no sign of pain showed on her face. Cassidy stood there, waiting for her, but she didn't stop. He fell into step behind her and followed her through the path the audience opened up for her. Terrance followed them as well. Hunters on their left and their right were grinning at them, hitting Rese's shoulder and congratulating her on her victory. A few faces showed anger but they too passed in a blur. After what seemed to be more than an hour but in reality was only minutes, they reached the doors and left the hot, crowded hall behind them. The corridor was almost empty except for two or three Hunters who ignored them completely. Rese didn't stop, didn't even look at them until they reached an empty changing room. For a second, Cassidy hesitated, but then he entered behind Rese and Terrance followed. A shout stopped him from closing the door and he saw Marina, Jay, Jaq, Ten and Nadya running towards him. Suddenly, the changing room resembled the crowded hall as everyone started talking at the same time.

"You did it!"

"Congratulations, Rese, you won!"

"How is your arm? Are you alight?"

"Did you see his face when you started coming at him?"

"What took you so long, Rese? Why didn't you…"

Rese hadn't turned around. Everyone was talking to her back as she stood there, her shoulders stiff, her right arm still clutching her left one. Carefully, Terrance walked over.

"Teresa?"

He exchanged a glance with Cassidy but his fellow hunter shrugged unhappily. Slowly, the others were realizing something was wrong. Marina crossed the room and tried to get a look at Teresa's face. "Rese, are you okay? We have to go see the Healers, your arm was hurt pretty bad, come on…"

Since Cassidy made no move, Terrance stepped closer. "Do you want some time alone, Teresa? We could…"

Then, he saw her face. He shrank back in surprise and, at the same time, felt his worry reach an until then unknown peak. She was so pale she looked more like a vampire than like a human being. Little drops of sweat were forming on her forehead and her eyes were staring into nothingness.

"Get a Healer!" He said sharply and, in the background of his mind, registered Ten leaving the room in a run. Then, Teresa collapsed. Terrance caught her just in time before she hit the ground.

_Damn._

-v-

She woke on the cold and hard stone floor of the changing room, ten pairs of eyes staring down at her. Unconsciously, she focused on the pair that was most familiar and shrank back as she realized they were Cassidy's. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she was relieved to find the pain in her left arm had almost left her entirely. It would hurt for a while but the Healer had done his job well. He was the only person she didn't know in this room; all the others were part of her Clave.

"How do you feel?" The Healer asked. His veiled face revealed neither his expression nor his appearance.

"I'm fine," she whispered in reflex. Her throat felt raw – had she been screaming? Her entire body hurt – of course, the Healer had only taken care of the obvious wound. It didn't matter. Rese was used to _this_ kind of pain.

Mar was hovering right next to her, clutching her hand almost painfully. She was so weak – and yet so strong. Rese caught jealousy rising and quickly let go of the thought again.

"Are you okay, Rese?" Dark eyes watched her, tears dangerously close to spilling over. Over her shoulder Nadya and Ten were watching her with the same anxiousness and worry. Without turning her head, she could feel Cassidy behind her and she knew Jay, Jaq and Terrance had to be in the room as well. But she directed her gaze at someone else entirely.

Teacher stared down at her, his features as unreadable as ever. She couldn't remember having seen him show many emotions. He never laughed and rarely smiled. And yet there was something underneath the underneath that enabled her to read him – sometimes. What she read now almost made her weep with gratefulness.

"Do you want to go home, Teresa?"

_Home. _Currently one of the several safe houses they had inhabited since she had been ten. But home wasn't a place, home was a feeling. Even though the fear of being alone never truly left her, she felt at home wherever her Clave was. Without many words Teacher had offered her the only way out, the only thing she really wanted to do right now. She swallowed thickly and felt the pain in her throat. Had it been her victory alone, she would have left, would have hidden in her bed and would have tried to forget everything that had happened today. But this wasn't her victory alone. Her entire Clave had worked hard for it, had trained, fought, hoped and waited. She couldn't take this away from them. Jay was already shifting nervously while on Terrance's face worry for her and disappointment that they would miss the award ceremony fought a disparate fight.

"It's okay," she said and wasn't sure whether she was lying or not. "I'm fine."

The Healer got up from the floor and brushed some dust off his white gowns. He nodded once and left the room. Teresa tried to get up from the floor and failed at the first attempt as her legs refused to carry her. Cass offered her a hand but she ignored him and forced her body up. Leaning against the wall, she tried to ignore Teacher's eyebrows too, which had shot up into his hair. Nadya handed her a bottle of water.

"You'll attend the ceremony, won't you, Rese?" Jay asked, unable to wait any longer, ignoring the warning glance his brother threw him.

"Yes." Her voice slowly sounded normal again.

"Great!" Jay stared round their faces, his own shining. "It'll take place in half an hour, if I remember correctly. I'll go check the time table. You'd better get some rest! You did it, Rese – we won!"

And off he went.

Refusing to sit down, Rese moved towards the door as well. Everyone was staring at her and the air was getting thick, hot and too heavy to breathe. Terrance's, Ten's, Nadya's and Marina's worry for her was suffocating her and Cassidy's presence reminded her of how his voice alone had been enough for her to get her act together in the fight. She needed to be alone now so she could think about what exactly had happened on the arena floor… Because she herself wasn't sure what exactly had happened.

"I need some fresh air."

"I'll come with you!" Marina said immediately, but someone held her back as she tried to follow Rese to the door.

"I'll go with her," Cassidy said calmly as he opened the door for her. Helplessly, Rese shot a glance in Teacher's direction, but neither he nor Ten made a move to help her. Suddenly feeling the tightness in her throat again, she passed through the door and walked along the corridor towards the exit. And tried to calm her racing heart. The entire way she could feel Cassidy's presence behind her.

-v-

Rese walked across the lawn that stretched out in front of the great hall.

Cassidy followed her, watching her carefully in case she would collapse again. But she crossed the front-yard and almost vanished in the shadows that were slowly growing beyond the old trees. A cool wind rustled the leaves. His eyes adjusted to the pale afternoon light and he saw her again, standing with her back to him, right under the trees. Her hands were hanging loosely by her side. She would have appeared relaxed to anyone else but Cassidy knew her better.

She seemed… _Lost._

There was no other word for it.

"What happened in there?" She asked him, her voice almost inaudible.

"I don't know."

Which was a lie. He had suspected as much but hadn't really believed it until he had seen it with his own eyes.

"It's not right," she said and balled her fists. "It shouldn't… _You_ shouldn't…"

He shouldn't have such power over her.

He felt bad for it himself. But he couldn't change the fact that… What? He couldn't change the fact that she loved him, as little as he could change who he was. He couldn't change the last few years, couldn't untie her from himself any more than he could have cut off his own hands.

"I'm sorry, Rese." It was the only thing he could say. At least he _truly_ felt sorry.

A breeze ruffled her hair, caressed her face. He could remember the softness of her skin vividly – but while touching her was pleasant, it didn't compare to the electric feel of Nic's skin on his and –

The wind carried the scent of Night Creatures.

Rese tensed, whirling around to face the same direction he was. But as opposed to him, she just smelled and felt one thing: a possible threat. Cassidy _knew_ the scent, the presence. Dread washed over him while at the same time his heart started beating in anticipation. The wind increased and the shadows started dancing, whirling and whistling and finally forming into solid matter. Dark-blond hair. A face, too perfect to be human. Cass still felt awe when he saw Nic materialize from darkness and thin air, although what the vampire did wasn't any different than their Shadow-Walking technique.

"Hey."

The greeting was tight-lipped for a vampire who was famous for his haughtiness. It was one of the things that still fascinated Cass beyond belief: Nic was full of contradictions. But right now, other things were more important.

"What _the hell_ are you doing here?"

"I was bored, so I came to see you."

"This place is crawling with hunters! _Are you insane?_"

Finally, the arrogant smile appeared on Nicholas' marble-white features.

"As if any of you could beat me. Not even in…"

"I'd like to try, vampire," Rese's voice rang out. It held neither distaste nor any other emotion. Her face was unreadable. Almost scared, Cass threw her a look.

"Nic, I don't think…"

The vampire had already grasped the situation. "Ouch. I've interrupted you. Well, I've seen what I came for to see, so I'll be right off…" He threw Cass a glance everyone else would have interpreted as either mocking or sarcastic. Cass saw the helplessness in it, though. It was strange how he had come to know this person so well in the course of a month. He could see the guilt in his boyfriend's eyes – and it was one of the things that made him love Nicholas so much. Nic felt guilty because _Cassidy_ felt guilty because they both were betraying Rese – because _he_ was betraying Rese.

"Don't bother," Rese interrupted his thoughts. "I was already leaving. The ceremony is about to begin. Don't be late."

She left without a backwards glance. Cass watched her back and never had felt that helpless before.

"I thought she'd react differently," Nic said quietly and leaned against a tree, his hands buried in his pockets. His pale skin made him a white figure in a darkening world. "Wasn't she more… _aggressive… _before?"

Cass just balled his fists in helpless anger. Nic watched him, worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Taking a deep breath, he tried to let go of anger, frustration and guilt. Fingertips touched his hand so softly it felt like a breeze.

"I'm fine," he finally said. "But you _really_ shouldn't be here."

A smug smile crossed Nic's face.

"That's the best part of seeing you."


	5. Act 5 Katastrophe

**Act V – Katastrophe**

_Katastrophe, English: Dénouement, Catastrophe. __The complexities of the plot are untied, the conflicts resolved. The usual classic play leaves the audience with a feeling of inevitability._

_-v-_

Again, the hall was filled with Hunters.

The noise was ear shattering. Daemon had many years to learn to tune out unnecessary sounds, so he didn't mind that much. At the far side of the hall, a pedestal had been constructed for the award ceremony. Someone had placed a tall vase with a few flowers in it. The decoration – or rather the lack thereof – was a stronger reminder to Hunters' ways than anything else could have been. They lived a short, brutal life without embellishments, without glorification. People were born, fought and died, and that was the end of the story.

Daemon felt a stab of guilt knowing those concepts didn't actually apply to him.

He watched, hidden in the shadows, as his students were called forth to receive their prize. There they were: Teresa, leading them, hurt still clearly evident in her eyes and in her face. So that was what had happened. He should have thought of it right away. They were Hunters, but they were young, too. Compared to him, they knew nothing. They neither had experienced the pain of leaving behind people nor of being left behind by each other. Of course, they had _lost_ people – Teresa's parents had been killed, Jay and Jaq had lost their family, Nadya her father. But they still had each other.

Daemon had experienced it all.

He had been living for such a long time he sometimes forgot how many years (_ages_) it had been. He had left behind friends more than once. He had been part of more than one Clave and had survived every single one. He had met more children than he cared to count.

But _these_ children were special.

He shouldn't feel like that, he figured. He'd leave them behind as well, one day, and the more he loved them the more it would hurt. But it was too late now. He had already accepted them into his heart.

For that reason, watching them hurt as well.

Still, he continued to follow them with his eyes because it was the very least he could do.

-v-

Rese walked up the stairs to the provisional pedestal but, again, heard nothing. Not the noise of the crowd, not Marina's laughter and Ten's whispered answer or Nadya's chuckle. She just saw faces and this time, they weren't blurred.

Jay.

Jaq.

Marina.

Ten.

Nadya.

Terrance.

And Cassidy.

Her heart hurt. Why did it have to be like this? _Why_? She hadn't asked for these feelings, for this pain. She hadn't wanted to fall in love with him, neither so hard nor so painfully. She longed for him to touch her, to kiss her – and she shuddered, thinking of how he now treated a vampire as he had treated her for the last two years. But, strangely, she couldn't work up any anger towards Nicholas.

Cass loved him.

Cass deserved to be happy was well, didn't he? She loved her Clave brother enough to wish for him to be happy, she always had. She had buried this feeling underneath her own pain and hurt and had tried not to think about it. She felt lost without him, betrayed by him – but she couldn't work up the anger to hate him. In fact, every time she had tried, she had only felt anger at herself. She had tried to push it onto him, had tried to direct it at him – but it was impossible. She couldn't hate him, just as she never would have been able to hurt him. She watched him from above as he mounted the stairs, in his eyes the remnants of happiness and guilt alike. Everything in him was familiar.

"The annual Scoring has been decided. This is the victorious Clave. Step forward."

Reacting without thinking, Rese stepped forward. Three Elders were standing there, holding several boxes. She knew what was inside: Eight daggers, carefully crafted, each unique and priceless. Made from moonstone, they had been treated in a special way that made them unbreakable though they were cut from stone. Their points were needle-sharp; their edges so keen they were said to be able to cut even through air. The hilts were engraved with runes and all eight carried a blood-red gemstone in their hilt.

The Elder, a woman in her late forties, presented Rese with the first one.

"This is a symbol of your inheritance, your bravery and your achievement. May you prove yourself worthy."

Bowing her head, Rese took the dagger and immediately felt the sharp sting of pain and disorientation as the weapon imprinted on her. From now on, it would only belong to her.

She stepped back and watched as each one of her Clave siblings received a similar one.

They had won a fight and the prize was a weapon. It suited them, suited their life of blood and killing. They were Hunters, the Blood of Eden, and a peaceful life was unrealistic for them to expect. As unrealistic as _love_. They were marionettes, nothing more. Puppets used by the world to do the kind of work that needed to be done but nobody wanted to do. If there was a God he had to be especially cruel because he had created Humans _and_ Night Things. The first lived blissfully unaware of the dangers that were all around them, the second were only too keen on the first one's blood and life. Those beings were too different to ever coexist peacefully. And that was where Hunters became involved, fighting the one group and protecting the other.

_It wasn't fair._

But life wasn't fair; hadn't she learned that long ago? Ah, there it was again, that feeling of being manipulated. Not by something obvious but subtly, by her own beliefs and the way of life she had chosen. Every decision she made, seemingly on her own, came back to haunt her, every word, every gesture.

And she wasn't angry anymore.

She was afraid, yes, and she was still hurting. But besides that she felt no anger, no hate, not even betrayal. Something had washed her clean of those emotions and had left her empty and exhausted instead. Maybe it had been the fight, maybe her breakdown. Maybe the light in Cassidy's eyes when he had seen Nicholas.

Cass stepped forward, the last to receive his prize, and she looked at him closely. His red and golden hair, the freckles on his skin, his strong and yet tender hands – she loved him so much she wanted to scream.

-v-

Rese buried everything she once was.

There was no need of keeping up pretenses she had long outgrown. She couldn't blame him for not loving her. She couldn't push her fear on him, or her hurt, or her loss. He had other things to deal with.

She would always be afraid.

There was no way those feelings would leave her. They had been part of her for too long. But she could cast away the web of illusions she had kept up for so long.

It was like opening the window after a storm. She loved Cass, and she always would. He would always hold power over her. His voice could call her back from the depths of Hell; his laugh could warm her from the inside. His jokes made her smile and his worry was natural, something she didn't think exaggerated or pretentious. She couldn't blame him, couldn't punish him for things he hadn't done. She couldn't hate him. She couldn't even hate Nicholas.

-v-

The ceremony was coming to an end.

The Elders stepped back, now directing their speech at the audience. Rese watched Marina clutch her dagger to her heart like the most precious thing on earth. Nadya and Ten were whispering quietly, their faces alive with happiness. Jay was teasing Jaq, who didn't move a muscle and still managed to look smug. Terrance was eying the crowd, his hand distractedly weighting his dagger. And Cassidy… Cassidy was watching her.

When he noticed her looking at him, he grinned. It was a careful, still painful grin. But it carried so much of the Cassidy she knew she couldn't help but lift the corners of her mouth a tiny bit and she could almost see him relax. His grin grew until he smiled in that way that still made her heart beat just a little bit faster.

And then, suddenly, the screams began.

-v-

Hell broke loose before they realized what was going on.

Hunters were killers. They were trained for fights, to always be watchful and alert. But nobody had thought it necessary to carry more than the occasional concealed weapon in a hall full of fellow Hunters. There were guards all around the perimeter, after all, and all kinds of protective wards had been set up.

They had killed the guards, broken through the wards and slipped by as silently as the cold shadows they were. The exits were blocked. And hundreds of Hunters were stuck in a great hall, unable to use their natural gifts. It was a good plan.

Screams echoed through the hall, cries of pain, shocked surprise and fear. Teachers tried to find their students; Elders were running around in panic. Who it was they were fleeing – they didn't know. How had this happened – they didn't know either. Why were they under attack? They were Hunters. Wasn't that reason enough? They were Hunters, and now they were dying.

Still on the stage, Cassidy reacted in a heartbeat.

"_Assemble_!"

Dark shadows were everywhere. On the ground, in the air, on the balconies, behind the window of the Elder's gallery. The occasional vampire and werewolf, fangs glistening with blood. A few weirn were drawing silver symbols of death into burning air. Demons were spitting poison, singing lethal tunes, clawing at souls, hearts and living flesh all alike. And the dark shadows that seemed to have been conjured right from the Realms of Darkness.

It was a nightmare. Hunters tried to leave the hall but the main entrances were sealed and the emergency routes blocked by other panicking Hunters. Others tried to relocate and to find space for fighting. But for every Hunter who fought, two others were killed.

"They're blocking the power currents in here." Nadya's voice was oddly calm.

"We'll have to take them down without using the Currents," Jaq answered, already cutting off strands of his silvery hair with his newly received dagger. Jay had his eyes closed and was concentrating his power on the blond locks in front of him. Without the Currents, he had to concentrate so hard sweat was beginning to bead on his forehead. He grasped for his brother's hand and they combined their strength.

"Terrance, take care of Marina!" Rese fell into the familiar link to Cassidy they shared when hunting as if nothing had ever separated them. "Ten, do you see Teacher?"

Ten was already searching. From their post on top of the pedestal, they had a good view of the hall. It was a boiling, screaming, bleeding hell and yet every single one of them itched to jump down, to descend into the depths of the fight and to kill whatever was murdering hundreds of their kind.

"He's busy," she informed them curtly. "We'll have to do this by ourselves."

"Same teams as always," Cass instructed and threw Rese a look. She nodded, feeling the rush of adrenaline wash away the last remnants of exhaustion. "We have to get out of here and find whatever is blocking the exits. Ten, you and Nadya go left, Jay and Jaq straight on. Try to get through the fire exits and outside. We need to find and eliminate whatever – _whoever_ – is doing this. Terrance, keep an eye on Mar and try to – _here they come_."

The stage shook. Hunters, now the Hunted, had (however irrationally) figured there was one place that promised something akin to security: the very same podium Rese and her friends were standing on.

"Take Mar somewhere and keep her safe! Cass, we go – _Now._"

Rese had barely spoken the words when they scattered in all directions. Jumping down from the stage, they started fighting their way towards the small fire exits that led from the hall. Using her elbows to free a way, Rese almost didn't notice the shadow sneaking up on them until Cass slit its throat and black, oily liquid splashed on her arm. She shivered. _What the hell were those monsters?_ But there was no time to wonder. The Hunters were slowly organizing themselves, but great parts of the hall remained a boiling mass of bodies, screaming, dying friends and enemies alike. _This was bad._ In those corners in which fewer fights were taking place, Hunters were trampling each other in their desperate attempt to reach the next exit. A mass panic was beginning to form and she didn't want to imagine the results of such a disaster. Rese clawed at a featureless, black face that appeared before her and elicited a piercing scream from the phantom. Cass grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side just in time to save her from a demon that spat poison towards her. The acid liquid hit another Hunter in the face and he went down screaming. Rese bend down to him.

"No time!" Cass shouted and pulled her along. While he fought to free their way, she pressed back everyone who tried to come at them from the sides and from behind. She forgot time and place. Here they were, a perfect team, and nothing could stand in their way. And then they had reached the doors, broke through them and stood in a dark corridor. The power was gone. Eerie silence hung in the air even though they could see the battle in the hall through the broken door. Strangely, nobody tried to follow them.

"Come on," Cass whispered and she let him pull her along by her hand. His was comfortingly warm and steady. Her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode.

"What are they?" She forced out between clenched teeth. "I've never seen them before. Living shadows? That's impossible! They have to be some kind of spell, maybe some weirn have merged their powers and…"

"They are real," Cass said without turning back. They reached a door. It was blocked, of course. Letting go of her hand, he thrust his shoulder against it. It didn't even budge.

"I read of them. Night Walkers."

"Night Walkers don't exist!"

"So what are we fighting, tell me? Someone must have summoned them. I didn't know there still were so many left! I thought the Nereshai had banned them from this Realm!"

Gathering all her strength, Rese kicked the door, but it didn't move. She balled her fists.

"And we can't use Umbra Spiritus. How are we supposed… Wait a minute!" She grabbed her dagger. "Cass, try this!"

Immediately catching on her thought, Cass took his dagger and tried to pry the lock loose. A high screeching noise resounded and he shrank back. Rese ignored it and trust her dagger into the door. Immediately, electric shocks cursed through her body but she didn't let go of the dagger, pushed even harder. And then, Cass's hand was on her shoulder and warmth swelled inside her as he shared his strength and with a last, protesting noise, the door broke.

-v-

It was sheer luck.

They could have been everywhere. But in a whim of fate, Cass and Rese stormed out into the front-yard and found themselves facing nine weirn, all of them carrying the black marks of outcasts. One of them pointed at them and screamed something and an astral appeared, as marked as its owner, the same madness burning in its eyes. Its claws outstretched, it moved with a speed only magical creatures had.

It moved at Cassidy.

-v-

Rese didn't even have the time to scream as the lethal creature launched itself at her partner. She threw her dagger at the weirn in helpless fury, and, unexpectedly, the magical weapon pierced the silver shield that hung in the air and caught the creature right in the eye. The barrier around the building shook, lost color, strengthened again as the remaining weirn tried to hold it up, then collapsed, but Rese didn't think of it right now. Time stretched into eternity. She still saw the astral, its claws outstretched, now truly mad from the loss of its owner, and she knew Cass wouldn't be able to defend himself, wouldn't be able to survive such an attack without their powers…

She had forgotten his dagger.

The magical weapon had taken them trough the weak barrier which had blocked the fire exits and had pierced the strong seal which had lain on the main exits. It had passed the shield which surrounded the weirn and had already killed one of them, had weakened the net of weirn magic that held the barrier. Cass probably had realized what it could do.

He didn't throw it as she had done. He lifted it but didn't direct it at the creature. No. Instead, he _cut the air_. Or, more precisely: he cut _through_ the boundaries of the Realm, creating a rift, and the hissing and screaming creature was pulled into the darkness beyond their world. Her mouth fell open as she watched the rift close again without his doing. _Where the hell had he learned to do that?_ But there was no time to voice her question because a dark shadow materialized right before them. Rese desperately searched for another weapon but her dagger was gone, still firmly latched in the dead weirn's eye. His colleagues had recovered from the shock of losing the barrier and now were coming at them. As a dark shadow materialized, summoned by the evil mages, she wanted to launch herself at it. She was ready to tear apart whatever it was, even without a weapon, and already was on the move, but Cass's voice stopped her.

"Rese, _no!_"

She skidded to a halt and Nicholas stepped from the shadows.

"I bet you've never been happier to see me, Hunter," he grinned at her and she briefly wondered whether she would be able to _kick _him.

Cass interrupted her thoughts. "Get away, Nic, quick!"

"No way," the vampire announced categorically and pushed Rese aside. "If you would, Lady-" His hands turned into claws, his fangs emerged. Suddenly, the arrogant, unearthly-looking creature was gone. A fighter – _a killer_ – stood in his place, immediately attacking the weirn. Rese had fought many vampires in her life, but she had seldom felt quite so impressed. She forced her thoughts back to reality. There still were eight traitors left and the Night Walkers were starting to drift back outside through the now open doors, followed by demons, vampires, werewolves and Hunters alike. They could use every bit of help they got – and she wouldn't think about the consequences Nicholas would suffer if he fought his own kind. _Why_? She wondered but the answer was clear.

Whirling around on the spot, Rese dug her heel into an oncoming opponent. He crashed into the wall and tumbled to the ground in a shower of bricks and dust. Cass was fighting three weirn at once while Nic was watching his back. She would be able to leave for a while, then. Speeding across the lawn, Rese launched herself at two demons whose faces were contorted in a grimace so ugly she briefly wondered how they could _ever_ be confused with humans.

"You won't get away, Hunter! We've got enough of your arrogance and stupid treaties. We're done with you lot! We'll send you somewhere you can rot forever!"

_Not_ a nice outlook.

She sped past them and reached the dead weirn, grabbing her dagger, the only weapon she had on herself. Sparing a glance, she saw Teacher hovering in the air over the hall, a sword in his hand, black, alien marks alive on his skin. His hand was extended; he seemed to be waiting for something. She sped back. The moment she arrived, the trees came to life.

Suddenly, demons, vampires, weirn and werewolves were screaming, being grabbed and held by earth itself and disappearing in it entirely.

"Awesome," Nic declared.

Cass huffed. "He's Nereshai. What'd you expect?"

And silence fell.

It felt odd, after all the screaming and fighting and dying. Rese didn't trust it. Her heart beat still loud in her ears, she clutched her dagger tightly and returned to where Cass and Nic were standing.

"We have to check inside," she said. "Let's…"

"NIC!"

Teresa whirled around. She never had heard Cassidy's voice like that. Not when the Sohrem had attacked them, not when they had almost died fighting a Nightmare demon. Not when he was angry with her, not when she was annoying him. _Never._ It didn't sound like a human voice at all. It was an inhuman sound, full of fear, hopelessness and desperation. It was a _horrible_ sound.

"_Traitor," _A dark voice growled and a hand clawed its way through soil and stones from the underground with incredible swiftness. Shadows swirled, solidifying slowly – and yet too fast to change anything. Nicholas was frozen in surprise, his face slowly turning towards Cassidy.

Teresa didn't think. She reacted.


	6. Act 6 Stumm

**Act VI – Stumm**

-v-

She wasn't asleep.

She heard voices, even though they seemed to come from far away and echoed in her head strangely. But it didn't hurt, so she supposed it was fine.

"Daemon, I can't!"

"Anathea. If anyone can, it's you. Do it. _Please_."

_Teacher._

"Do you know how many we've lost?"

This voice was alien, as well as the one that answered. They came from some distance away.

"Nobody can tell. There were so many young ones and students – they knew exactly what they did when they attacked us today. _Damn_. And we didn't even expect them!"

"They will pay for that," a third voice growled. She didn't know this one, either. All voices were deep and full of thirst. _Revenge, _they seemed to scream. She could remember the emotion but it felt distant and unnecessary. Footsteps approached.

"How are the others?"

"Nadya and Jaq are hurt, but they'll be fine. Teacher, what about – _oh my God! Rese!"_

She was right here. What was the matter?

"Rese! Rese! Don't you _dare_ die on me! Come on, open your eyes! Open your eyes, Teresa!"

She tried. It worked, somehow. Marina was staring down at her in tears.

"Oh God, Cass, what happened?"

_Don't tell her. She doesn't need to worry, I'll be fine._

"She saved…" Cass's voice didn't sound like his own. A hand pushed a strand of hair out of her face. What the heck was going on? She was here, she was alright, and she just needed some sleep. She was incredibly tired.

"She saved _me_."

Another voice. _Nicholas_. Was that what she had done? Yes, maybe. But she hadn't only saved Nicholas. She had saved _Cassidy_.

"Teresa." Teacher's voice was soft. He touched her face. His hand was warm. "Hold on."

He wasn't asking her how she felt. He was telling her to _hold on_ and that told her more than he could have told her in words. She must really have been wounded badly. Strangely, she felt no pain.

"Teacher." Speaking was hard. Her voice was barely a whisper. She coughed and something trickled down her lips. Blood, red and warm.

"I'm tired."

He just looked at her, pain clearly written in his eyes.

More footsteps, more voices.

"Rese! Oh God, Teresa, please, no…"

"Hold on, Rese, you'll be alright…"

"What happened? She will be alright, Teacher, won't she?"

_It is okay, Mar, don't cry. You are strong, Ten, you can take care of them for me. Nadya, Terrance, Jay, Jaq…_

_Cass._

She was so tired. Trying to hold open her eyes, she searched for his face and found him right by her side.

"What happened?" She whispered.

His face was a mask of pain.

"That damn vampire got you." His voice was choked, laced with pain and hate at the same time. "He aimed for Nic and you…"

"I can't feel my arms."

Mar started sobbing so hard Rese immediately was sorry she had said anything. Though she wasn't sure why the fact that she couldn't feel her arms made her little sister cry so hard.

"It's okay Mar, don't…"

Her voice turned into a gargling sound. Someone gently lifted her head and she coughed more blood.

_That's bad._

Suddenly, the knowledge was there.

_I'm dying._

She looked down on her body and realized she hadn't wanted to look. She closed her eyes.

"Cass…"

"Yeah?"

"I want to go home."

"You will, Rese. I promise."

"Don't."

If she was dying, it didn't feel bad. She didn't hurt. The only things that pained her were the tear-streaked, bloody faces of her family. She blindly searched for something – she couldn't feel them, but they had to be somewhere – and found Mar's hand.

"Cass."

And Cass put his hand on top. And Nadya was there, and Ten and Jay, Jaq and Terrance and Teacher. Next to him was a white-haired woman whose stony face told Rese as much as Teacher's eyes.

_I love you._

Had she said it, thought it? It didn't matter. They knew. _(He knew?)_ Peace settled over her like a warm blanket. All-encompassing, caressing. Wordless. For the first time in her life, Rese allowed herself to let go of what she was.

_Cassidy._

As the darkness spread and swallowed her up in a warm embrace, she knew she would never be alone again.


End file.
